Photos of Ruptured Pipeline Finally Released Images Show Where the Rusty Equipment Broke

From:  The Independent 

COMMENT - Don't miss the photos of the removal of the pipe and the infamous culvert.  

By Nick Welsh

Bruce Reitherman

The location of the rupture was inspected and photographed by a number of Plains and agency personnel. (May 28, 2015)

Last week, every Santa Barbara resident received a postcard from Plains All American Pipeline CEO Greg L. Armstrong expressing his regrets at the “accidental release” of oil off the coast of Refugio two weeks ago. Since then, the oil spill has dominated any news coverage emanating out of Santa Barbara County and has become the focus of intense discussion among political-activist classes and elected officials. 

Lost in the hub-bub has been any actual photograph of the ruptured pipeline itself, a small point perhaps, but one that’s nagged at The Independent newsroom since May 19. No photos would be made available, we were told, because the rupture remained the subject of an ongoing investigation. Criminal charges, we were also told, might possibly be filed. 

 Somehow, in our collective imaginations, we could not conjure a credible scenario in which the release of such photos could possibly compromise any investigation. Fortunately, the hyperventilation was put to rest this week with the release of these photos — at the request of The Santa Barbara Independent — by Santa Barbara County Planning and Development director Glenn Russell. 

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Big Oil Spill Along Refugio Coast

From:  The Independent 

Story by Tyler Hayden

UPDATE: Leak Contained, but At Least Four Miles of Coast Now Covered in Crude

An estimated 21,000 gallon oil spill just North of Refugio State Beach coating 4 miles of the shoreline and a sheen 50-100 yards wide (May 19, 2015)..

Originally published May 19, 2015 at 02:08p.m., updated May 20, 2015 at 08:00a.m.

Additional updates to this ongoing story can be found here

[UPDATE, Wednesday, 8 a.m.]: At around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Santa Barbara County firefighters were dispatched just west of Refugio State Beach to investigate a strong, gassy smell wafting through the area. They soon discovered a river of oil spewing down a storm drain and straight into the ocean that quickly covered four miles of pristine Gaviota coastline in thick crude. The slick is expected to travel farther east before it’s stopped and cleaned in the coming days. 

Health officials ordered Refugio State Beach closed and its campers relocated just as oil-covered birds and other distressed wildlife began washing ashore. Fishing and shellfish harvesting has been shut down on both sides of the beach, and news helicopters showed migrating whales skirting the sheen. A family living near Orella Ranch evacuated their home because the fumes were so overwhelming.

The accident has been classified by federal responders as a “medium-sized” spill and was traced to an underground pipeline a few hundred yards inland above Highway 101. The 24-inch pipe is owned and operated by Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, which stopped the leak at approximately 3 p.m. It’s unclear how long the pipe was leaking, what caused it to break, or exactly how much crude escaped. Plains initially reported that 21,000 gallons of oil made its way into the ocean, but that number is expected to rise after county, Coast Guard, and state Fish and Wildlife personnel tally the true damage. 

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Oil Trains Don't Have to Derail or Explode to Be Hazardous, Doctors Warn

From:  The Guardian 

• Records show Plains All American Pipeline admitted leak was possible
• Sensitive Santa Barbara coastline was hit by up to 101,000 gallons of oil

Crew members inspect oil spill damage at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California in May. Photograph: Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters 

 

A Texas company whose ruptured pipeline created the largest coastal oil spill in California in 25 years had assured the government that a break in the line, while possible, was “extremely unlikely”.

The company also said state-of-the-art monitoring could quickly detect possible leaks and alert operators, documents show.

Nearly 1,200 pages of records, filed with state regulators by Plains All American Pipeline, detail a range of defences the company established to guard against crude oil spills and, at the same time, prepare for the worst should a spill occur.  MORE

Oil Trains Don't Have to Derail or Explode to Be Hazardous, Doctors Warn

From:  Truthout 

Tuesday, 09 June 2015 00:00 

 by Dahr Jamail, Truthout | Report 

There are no existing rail cars that could truly be considered safe for shipping crude oil. (Image: Oil by rail via Shutterstock)

In May, hundreds of doctors, nurses and health-care professionals from Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) called on Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to take a stronger position against proposed oil-by-rail shipping terminals in their respective states, in order to insure the health and physical security of families and communities there.

Washington PSR describes itself as a group that promotes "peace and health for the human community and the global ecosystem by empowering members, citizens and policy makers to develop and model for the rest of the nation socially just and life-enhancing policies regarding nuclear issues, climate change, environmental toxins, vulnerable populations and other risks to human health."

The group has sounded the alarm over what it sees as a direct health threat to the country stemming from the oil-by-rail system.
To see more stories like this, visit "Planet or Profit?"

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Ukraine crews battle blaze after 'huge' explosion outside Kiev

From:  BBC

Emergency crews are battling a fire outside the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, following a huge blast at a fuel depot.

The blaze broke out on Monday evening, and one worker at the plant died.

The explosion on Tuesday morning left several firefighters reportedly injured or missing.

Three firefighters were unaccounted for and another six were taken to hospital, officials said, as the fire spread to at least 16 tanks, most of them storing petrol. 

The fire at the depot, next to Hlevakha airbase and near the town of Vasylkiv, sent a huge pall of smoke over the surrounding area.

The fire burned through the night

The army has been clearing a munitions storage facility, located about 50m (164ft) away, according to Oleksandr Turchynov, secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council.

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Officials overseeing South Coast Oil Spill cleanup efforts suspend booming and skimming operations

From:  KSBY

By David Aguilar

Santa Barbara County - 

 Nine booming and skimming vessels have been suspended due to improving conditions on the water after last month's oil spill near Refugio State Beach, according to the Unified Command in charge of overseeing clean up efforts.

Officials said no oily water has been recovered since June 3, but eight vessels will remain on the water to monitor for oil until all cleanup efforts are finished.

As of June 7, approximately 14,267 gallons of oily water mix has been recovered since the response cleanup efforts began in May, according to the Unified Command.  MORE

Crews say 44 percent of California coast oil spill cleaned

From:  KSBY

By Associated Press

GOLETA, Calif. (AP) - Cleanup teams have determined 44 percent of 96.5 miles of California coastline clear of oil from the Refugio Oil Spill.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Alexia Retallack says Sunday that these mostly sandy beaches only have trace amounts, or less than 1 percent of oil.

She says tar is naturally found through seeps at Southern California beaches and should be avoided.
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